Defending Pakistan’s fast-paced attack, skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi on Friday said heavy workloads and fatigue had contributed to a reduction in speed, but insisted the bowlers remained determined to regain their edge.
The Green Shirts, who will host Australia for a three-match ODI series from May 30 to June 4, toured Bangladesh for two Tests earlier this month and suffered a 2-0 whitewash, which was their second in a row against the Tigers in the longest format.
During the series, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), Pakistani pacers, including Shaheen, struggled to trouble the Bangladeshi batters with their pace, with the average hovering in the mid-130s.
Meanwhile, when asked about the rate of decline of national seamers, Shaheen highlighted their commitment to give their best for the country by comparing themselves to a machine, stressing that both need maintenance for better efficiency.
“When it comes to fast bowling, people need to understand that when a machine keeps running continuously, eventually it needs maintenance. Some of our fast bowlers have played a lot of cricket. When a player is fresh and rested, he can naturally bowl with more intensity,” Shaheen said.
“Pakistan’s fast bowlers are always ready to give their all for the country. We are all thinking about how to increase our pace again, and the coaches and management are also working on it,” he added.
The left-arm pacer then playfully told the reporter that he would try to bowl at 200 kmph for him.
“If you ask me personally, I will try to play at 200 km/h for you,” he joked.
Talking about Pakistan’s preparations for the ODI series against Australia, Afridi said the training camp in Lahore was productive, in which around 28-29 players participated under the supervision of head coach Mike Hesson and the selectors.
“ODI cricket has not been played regularly, so the camp was important to get everyone back into rhythm and prepare properly,” he said.
“The testing sessions were very good and we hope to put in a strong performance,” he added.
The 26-year-old also welcomed the return of Babar Azam to the ODI side after missing the away series against Bangladesh in March, calling the right-handed batter the “backbone” of their middle order.
He further backed the 31-year-old to carry his sublime Pakistan Super League (PSL) form into the ODI series.
“Babar has been an important part of the middle order for a long time. He has performed well in the PSL and also played a good innings in the last Test match. We hope his form continues and he wins matches for Pakistan.”
